Sleeve-valve engine



March 2 1926.

'..|. NL CAGE SLEEVE VALVE ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed August 25 1921 11206 1226 iJO/ f2? Cage,

Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

. awas UNITED sures PATENT runes.

30m: I. cum, or SANTA Monica, CALIFORNIA, nssrcmon, Fr missus: .assrenmnnrs, m mvoa ANDBESEN, or onnrsrmnm, NORWAY, AND omvna tlTIS nownnn,

OI BOOKPOBT, MASSACHUSETTS.

SLEEVE-VALVE ENGINE.

Application filed august 25, 192.1. fierlal No. 495,166,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. Case, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Monica, in the county of Los Angeles and 8 State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sleeve-Valve Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, particularly of the type using a sleeve valve; and furthermore particularl ofthe type utilizing a ressure feed for the combustible charge. guch type of engine is usually, although not necessarily, a two-cycle engine; and for those reasons I- here illustrate and describe my invention as ap lied to a two-cycle engine using a sleeve va ve and having its charge fed to the valve and to the cylinder under pressure.

In engines where the charge is drawn into the cylinder by piston suction, a slight amount of leakage into the cylinder around the sleeve valves is of no great consequence, so long as that leakage is uniform. However, where the charge is i'ed under pressure to the valves, the leakage around the valves causes considerable waste of fluid. It is a general object of this invention to provide means for overcoming such leakage and preventing the consequent waste. Other ob jects and corresponding features of the invention will be best understood from the following detailed description of the invention as applied specifically to .a two-cycle sleevevalve en inc; reference for this purpose being ha to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-section of such an engine equipped with my invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. a

In the drawings 1 illustrate a watercooled cylinder structure at C in which piston P is adapted to reciprocate, the piston being connected by the connecting rod 10 to the crank of the engine shaft 12. Piston P carries a sleeve S preferably integral with the piston, and extending upwardly there from, the upper end of the sleeve extending into an annular space between the c linder wall and a depending head 15. T e cylinder charge intake, scavenging and exhaust ports; 16, 17. and 18 respectively, are adapted to be uncovered bycorresponding sleeve ports 16, 17 and 18, as the piston nears the lower end of its stroke. The ports are so sized that the exhaust port 18 is uncovered first, so as to relieve the exhaust pressure; and then the scavenging air ports 17 and then the charge ports 16 are uncovered,,allowing the air to flow into and through, and the charge to flow into the combustion chamber, ready for compression as the piston moves upwardly, In this particular case I have illustrated this charge as coming to the intake port through a manifold 20 connected with a carbureter 21 which is fed with air under pressure through a pipe 22 that connects with the outlet of a blower B which is driven from the engine shaft. The peculiar properties and actions of this blower B '1 have spoken of in other co-pending applications Ser. No. 398,329, filed July 23, 1920; Ser. No. 495,166 and Ser. No. 495,167, filed August 25, 1921; so far as the present invention is concerned, it suflices merely to say that the blower B raises a pressure and delivers air under pressure to the carhureter from whence a mixture under pressure is delivered to the charge intake port 16. I have also explained in my said co-pending applications how fuel and a charge of air, under pressure, may be introduced separately to the cylinder; the air pressure also being raised by such a blower as herein illustrated; and then the fuel being introduced from the carbureter which is supplied with such air under pressure, or being introduced by injection or other positive introduction means. For instance a branch pipe 22 may lead from air pressure pipe 22 to the scaven ing air ports 17, whereby these ports are fed with the air under pressure. This arrangement is explained for instance in a plication Ser. No. 495,167. All such specific arrangements may be made within my present invention; but it will be understood that the situation to which my invention is applied is, generally speaking, a situation in which a charge is introduced to such an engine as herein described under pressure, whether that charge be a char e of pure air or a charge of carbureted air. it. is of course most important to prevent leakage of a charge of carbureted alr, to

prevent loss of fuel.

In order to prevent such lossxof fuel, I

. 60 the lubricated zone.

locate a cylinder wall groove above intake ports 16, and another cylinder wall with the air pressure pipe 22; so that these grooves are at all times supplied with air under a pressure equal to or greater than that under. which the carbureted charge is 'fed to the intake port 16, and thus equal to or greater than that pressure under which leaka e can take lace between the outer surface 0 the sleeve g and the cylinder wall. It will be apparent that the pressure'on the charge at the port 16 can never be greater than'that in the pipe 22; nor greater than that in the grooves 25 and 26; because the size of the connection to these grooves from the pipe 22 is ample to supply the small leakage of air that may occur; whilethe pressure may normally be less at the port 16 than at the grooves 25 and 26 because under most circumstances the controlling throttle 30 of the carburetor will be but partially'open, and also because the tube 28 connects to pipe 22 below the Venturi tube V of the carbureter.

Thus, the leakage of air from the oove'25 will meet and oppose the leakage 0 mixture or liquid from the port 16, and effectually counteract that lea. age. In fact, under most circumstances, there will be a slight leakage of air from the grooves 25 and 26,

to the port 16, rather thana leakage of the carbureted mixture or liquid away from the port. In'caseany fuel should leak into the grooves 25 or 26 I provide a tube 28 which drains downwardly and may enter the float chamber of the carbureter 21.

Lower down on the cylinder there are two oil grooves 38 into which (through connections indicated at 38) lubricant may be ini bustion engine having a cylinder and intake t'roduced to lubricatethe sleeves and the pistons. Above these grooves there is a groove 39 which isadapted to pick up any excess of oil which might otherwise move on upwardly on the sleeve and get into the intake orts, returning this excess of oil through .tubes 40 to the crank case. Between the oil return groove- 39 and the groove 26 there is another air pressure groove 35 fed with the same air pressure as before mentioned through time 37 from pipe 22, This groove,

like grooves 38 and 39, extends completely around the cylinder walls; and its function is to oppose in pressure to the downward carriage of fuel by the sleeve-moving downwardly and to the upward carriage of lubricant by the sleeve moving upwardly from Having described invention, I claim 1. In combination with an internal comport, .and a sleeve valve movably a preferred form of my port and a sleeve valve movably fitting within the cylinder controlling said intake port;

means for maintaining an air ressure around said intake port in the ace etween the sleeve and the cylinder wal 2. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and an intake port and a sleeve valve movably fitting within the cylinder controlling said intake port; means for feeding a charge to said intake port under pressure, and means for maintaining a seal around said intake port in the space between the sleeve and the cylinder wall. I

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and an intake port and a sleeve valve movably fitting within the cylinder controlling said intake port; means for feeding a charge of carbureted air to said intake port under pressure, and means for maintaining a seal of air around said intake port in the space between the sleeve and the cylinder wall.

4'. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and an intake port and a sleeve valve movably fitting within the cylinder controlling said intake port; means for feeding a charge to said intake .port under pressure, and means for maintaining a counter pressure around said intake port in the space between the sleeve and'the cylinder wall, said last mentioned means embodying grooves in the cylinder wall on opposite sides of said intake port, and means for introducing air under pressure to said grooves.

bustion engine having a cylinder, an'intake port, and a sleeve valve Y movabl fitting within the cylinder controlling said intake port; means to raise and maintain an air pressure, a carburetor fed with said pressure air and communicating with said intake port to feed carbureted air to said=port; and means for introducing said air pressure to the space between the'sleevc and the cylinder wall aroundsaid intake ort.

5. In combination with an internal com-v 6. In combination with an internal com- I bustion engine having a cylinder, an intake fitting within the cylinder controlling said intake port; means to raise and maintain an air pressure, a carbureter fed with said pressure air and communicating with said intake port to feed carbureted air to said port; and means for introducing said air ressure to the space between the sleeve and t e cylinder wall around said intake port, said last mentioned means embodying grooves in the cylinder wall on opposite sides of said intake port, and a passage by which said pressure air s introduced to said grooves.

- 7. In combination w th an internal combustion engine having'a cylinder and. intake port and a,sleve valve movdhly fitting within the cylinder controlling said intake port; means for maintainin an air g'essure around said intake port in the s ace etween the. sleeve and. the cylinder we 1, means for supplying oil to the sleeve below said pressure maintainin means, and a relief groove in the cylinder tween the pressure maintaining means and the zone 1n which oil is ap lied to the sleeve.

di-In combination with. an intoirnalcom bustion engine having a cylinder, an intake port, and a, movable sleeve valve in the cyi inder controlling said intakeport; means to raise and maintain an air pressure, a can bureter fed with said pressure air and com municatin with said intake port to feed carbnrctefair to said port; and means for introducing said air pressure to the space between the sleeve and the cylinder wall around saidintake port, said last mentioned means embodying grooves in the cylinder wallon opposite sides of said intake rt, and a passage by which said pressure an. is introduced to said grooves; means to lubri cate said sleeve at a zone below said cylinder groove, and a groove located between said 9. In combination with an intern corn bustion engine having a cylinder, a piston, and an intake port, a movable sleeve valve within thecylinder and having a port con trolling the said intake port; a head extending down within said sleeve, the intake port being near the lower end of said head; means to cause reciprocation of said sleeve from a lower position in which the intake port is opened to an upper position in which the sleeve port passes entirely into the space between the cylinder wall and the de ending head whereby said sleeve port is sea ed during the compression and explosion strokes of the engine; means for introducing a charge of carbureted air to said intake port under presure, and means for maintaining an air ace between the sleeve and the cylinder wa around said intake port,

10. In combination with an internal comder Wallabove and below said intake the valve and the surface of cylindergrooves and the lubricatin zone.

bastion engine having a cylii'ider a piston, and an intake port, a movable sleeve valve within the cyhnder and having a port controllin the said intake art a head on tending down Within said sleeve the intake port being near theilower end of said head;

strokes of the engine; means operated by the engine to raise air pressure, a carburetor fed with said air pressure and communicating with the intake port; grooves in the cylinport, and a passage which supplies said air prcs-- sure to said grooves.

11. A valve mechanism, comprising a orted body with a bore a valve movably fitted in the bore and controlling the body port; and means for maintaining fluid pres sure around the port in thespace between the hora COIHPZ'iSlIl? a body surface on a port 12. A valve mechanism, with a valve engaging leading to said surface, a valve movable on said surface and controlling the port, and means for maintaining fliiid pressure around the port in the space between the valve and said surface.

13. In a mechanism embodying; a ported cylinder and a sleeve valve movably fitting" controlling its port,

within the cylinder and means to maintain an air pressure in the space between the sleeve and cylinder wall near the cylinder port, means to lubricate the sleeve at a zone below the ort, and a relief groove located between t e lubricat ing zone. and the oort.

In witness thatli claim the fore cing I have hereunto subscribed my name tnis 19th day of August, 1921- some" n; more iili ing headwhereby said sleeve port is sealed during the compression and explosion lid 

